Duplex printing system capable of ink removal

Abstract

A fluid ejection system includes a first fluid ejection head comprising a first nozzle plate that includes a first set of fluid ejection nozzles capable of ejecting first fluid drops and a second fluid ejection head comprising a second nozzle plate that includes a second set of fluid ejection nozzles capable of ejecting second fluid drops. The second nozzle plate is substantially opposing to the first nozzle plate. The first set of fluid ejection nozzles are offset from the second set of fluid ejection nozzles.

1. A fluid ejection system, comprising:
 a receiver transport system configured to transport a receiver having a maximum receiver width; 
 a first fluid ejection head comprising a first nozzle plate that includes a first set of fluid ejection nozzles capable of ejecting first fluid drops, the first set of fluid ejection nozzles spanning a first region, wherein the first region is greater than the maximum receiver width; and 
 a second fluid ejection head comprising a second nozzle plate that includes a second set of fluid ejection nozzles capable of ejecting second fluid drops, 
 wherein the second nozzle plate substantially opposes the first nozzle plate, and the first set of fluid ejection nozzles are offset from the second set of fluid ejection nozzles, and the second set of fluid ejection nozzles spans a second region, and the second nozzle plate is configured and positioned to capture the first fluid drops in areas outside of the second set of fluid ejection nozzles and within the second region. 
 
     
     
       2. The fluid ejection system of  claim 1 , wherein the second region is substantially similar to the first region. 
     
     
       3. The fluid ejection system of  claim 1 , wherein the second nozzle plate is configured to draw the first fluid drops that are captured by the second nozzle plate into one or more of the second set of fluid ejection nozzles. 
     
     
       4. The fluid ejection system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid ejection head is configured to deposit the first fluid drops on a first surface of the receiver and the second fluid ejection head is configured to deposit the second fluid drops on a second surface of the receiver. 
     
     
       5. The fluid ejection system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver transport system transports the receiver in a first direction that is substantially parallel to the first nozzle plate or the second nozzle plate. 
     
     
       6. The fluid ejection system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to cause the first fluid ejection head to produce a first fluid pattern on the first surface of the receiver and the second fluid ejection head to produce on the second surface of the receiver a second fluid pattern that is a mirror image of the first fluid pattern. 
     
     
       7. The fluid ejection system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid ejection head is configured to deposit first fluid drops from edge to edge on the first surface of the receiver. 
     
     
       8. The fluid ejection system of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of fluid ejection nozzles are distributed in one or more rows in the first nozzle plate such that the first fluid ejection head is configured to deposit first fluid drops across a first swath width on the first surface of the receiver. 
     
     
       9. The fluid ejection system of  claim 8 , wherein the first swath width is wider than the maximum receiver width. 
     
     
       10. The fluid ejection system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid ejection head is an ink jet print head. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid ejection head is a stationary fluid ejection head. 
     
     
       12. A duplex ink jet printing system, comprising:
 a receiver transport system configured to transport a receiver in a first direction; 
 a first ink jet print head comprising a first nozzle plate that includes a first set of ink nozzles configured to deposit ink drops on a first surface of the receiver; and 
 a second ink jet print head comprising a second nozzle plate that includes a second set of ink nozzles configured to deposit ink drops on a second surface of the receiver, wherein the second nozzle plate is configured to capture the first fluid drops in areas outside of the second set of fluid ejection nozzles, the second nozzle plate is substantially opposing the first nozzle plate and the second set of ink nozzles in the second nozzle plate are offset from the first set of ink nozzles in the first nozzle plate. 
 
     
     
       13. A method of fluid delivery, comprising:
 ejecting first fluid drops from a first set of fluid ejection nozzles in a first nozzle plate of a first fluid ejection head, the first set of fluid ejection nozzles spanning a first region; 
 ejecting second fluid drops from a second set of fluid ejection nozzles in a nozzle plate of a second fluid ejection head, wherein the second set of fluid ejection nozzles span a second region, and the second nozzle plate is substantially opposing the first nozzle plate and the second set of fluid ejection nozzles are offset from the first set of fluid ejection nozzles; 
 transporting a receiver through a gap between the first fluid ejection head and the second fluid ejection head; 
 depositing the first fluid drops ejected on a first surface of the receiver; 
 depositing the second fluid drops on a second surface of the receiver; and 
 capturing the first fluid drops with the second nozzle plate in areas outside of the second set of fluid ejection nozzles and within the second region. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second region is substantially similar to the first region. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising capturing the first fluid drops that fly outside of the first surface of the receiver by the second nozzle plate in areas outside of the second set of fluid ejection nozzles and within the second region. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising drawing the first fluid drops captured by the second nozzle plate into one or more of the second set of fluid ejection nozzles. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 13 , wherein transporting the receiver includes transporting the receiver in a direction that is substantially parallel to the first nozzle plate or the second nozzle plate. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first set of fluid ejection nozzles are disposed in the first nozzle plate in one or more rows that can eject fluid drops across a first swath width that is wider than at least one of the dimensions of the first surface of the receiver. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , wherein depositing the first fluid drops includes depositing the first fluid drops from edge to edge on the first surface of the receiver. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein depositing the second fluid drops includes depositing the second fluid drops from edge to edge on the second surface of the receiver. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first surface and the second surface of the receiver are on opposite sides of the receiver. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the fluid drops disposed on the first surface of the receiver form a first image pattern and the fluid drops printed on the second surface of the receiver form a mirror image of the first image pattern. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid ejection head is an ink jet print head. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid ejection head is held stationary while depositing the first fluid drops.